An electric battery generally has one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Each cell has a positive terminal, or cathode, and a negative terminal, or anode. The terminal marked positive may be at a higher electrical potential energy than the terminal marked negative. The terminal marked positive may be the source of electrons that when connected to an external circuit will flow and deliver energy to an external device. When a battery is connected to an external circuit, electrolytes are able to move as ions within, allowing the chemical reactions to be completed at the separate terminals and so deliver energy to the external circuit. The movement of those ions within the battery provides for current to flow out of the battery to perform work.
Single-use or “disposable” batteries (e.g., alkaline battery) are typically used once and discarded. The electrode materials are generally irreversibly changed during discharge. Rechargeable batteries can typically be discharged and recharged multiple times. The original composition of the electrodes can be restored or partially restored by reverse current. Examples of rechargeable batteries include lead-acid batteries used in vehicles and lithium-ion batteries used for portable electronics and other uses. Batteries come in many shapes and sizes, from miniature cells used to power hearing aids and wristwatches to battery banks the size of rooms that provide standby power for telephone exchanges and computer data centers.
The same numbers are used throughout the disclosure and the figures to reference like components and features. Numbers in the 100 series refer to features originally found in FIG. 1; numbers in the 200 series refer to features originally found in FIG. 2; and so on.